Vengeance
by DJ Dubois
Summary: The Avengers' lives are disrupted by a new super villain group, The Masters of Evil. How will Nick Fury and the group deal with this threat? R and R.
1. Bruce's Discovery

Vengeance (Sequel to "Counter" and "At Last")

DJ Dubois

November 2012

Notes: Marvel Characters belong to Marvel and Disney. Please send comments to dante0220  .

Chapter 1 [Stark Enterprises, Long Island, NY—Six Months after "At Last"]

The clouds skittered across the cool blue sky on that early March day. A tell tale wind billowed in from the northwest reminding the natives that winter hadn't relinquished its grip yet. The bare tree tops swayed under that assault.

Within the confines of Stark Enterprises however, Old Man Winter held no sway. Technological brainstorming kept the minds going and bodies hopping inside its metal and concrete walls. Ideas flowed, grants came into being and machinery was tweaked.

JARVIS supervised the artificial intelligence network ensuring that everything ran smoothly.

In particular, one scientist worked especially hard to justify the faith that the company had put into him…..

Bruce Banner wiped his brow and took a deep breath. For most of that winter, he'd listened to Tony Stark's theories on gamma radiated crops feeding the hungry around the world. He remained skeptical toward the project of course.

A history of dealing with gamma mutations poisoned that particular well for him. He recalled the Leader and the Abomination less than fondly to say the least. The lethal emerald energy had warped his beloved Betty into the Harpy….

…and that wasn't even counting the Hulk's effect on himself.

Bruce shook his head. He still remembered the effects of his blood in the bottle plant in South America years earlier. _It could make people sick. Worse it could create more mutations. Do we really need this?_

A knock at the door roused him from his efforts. "Yes? Oh, Tony. Sorry."

Tony rolled his eyes as he strolled into the lab. He had several troubling projects on the back burner at the moment. Nick Fury hassled him about bridging his responsibilities between SHIELD and the Avengers. As much as he admired Banner's genius, the constant self-absorption and doubts left much to be desired. "No sweat, Big Guy. Ready for testing yet?"

"Yeah we are," Bruce indicated while trying to seem enthusiastic. He opened the door to the lead lined testing area to their left. "In there, I've planted the seeds Avery Sommers gave me. Betty and I both think a really low gamma charge should do it."

"Don't skimp on me, Bruce. We want results. Remember?" Tony quirked an eyebrow.

JARVIS chimed in from Tony's cell phone. "Sir, Dr. Banner has a legitimate concern. We should proceed with caution. Dr. Ross and he have both indicated a .45 joule ratio is the way to go."

"JARVIS, please. I am the boss," Tony countered rather testily. "We did bring the big guy in for a reason."

"It'll be okay, JARVIS, if we keep it low key," Bruce assured the AI. He did a few calibrations and slid his goggles into place. Then he secured the testing area's door. "That should do it."

"Really? After all of the belly aching and…?" Tony sassed.

Bruce shot him a pointed look. He really didn't need his teammate's jabs right now. "Just have to push the red button here."

"Sure we shouldn't get the better half in on this?" Tony cracked.

"Betty's teaching all afternoon. Don't worry. I'll text her with the results. She's the one who wanted us to go ahead," Bruce assured him patiently. He handed Tony another set of red tinted goggles. "Progress and all that. Right?"

"Now you're talking, Dude." Tony slid the goggles on over his eyes. "Hit that button."

Bruce nodded and pressed it. He felt a slight spike in his own pulse. _Keep control. We don't need a visit from the Other Guy. _

Inside of the chamber, two radiation guns emitted gamma rays at the seed beds for ten seconds apiece before shutting down.

Tony leaned close to the glass. He trusted that JARVIS would've told him if there was any danger. Not hearing a peep from the overly anal AI, he peered through the plastiglass.

The seed beds quaked ever so subtly. Then shoots ripped out of the dirt and reached for the ceiling. In a matter of minutes, they completed their annual growth cycle.

Stalks of corn, massive cucumbers and pumpkins squeezed themselves into the enclosed area.

"See? Told ya so," Tony complimented while rubbing the physicist's arm. "And look, Mom! No green guy."

"Yeah. No green guy," Bruce reiterated softly. He took out a gamma meter. "Let's test the produce to be sure."

"Don't want another charge like that super bottle you sent from South America, right?" Tony supposed.

"It made that guy sick and put Ross on my tail. You and I don't need the trouble or lawsuits, Tony. Just being safe," Bruce insisted while opening up the door. "Pepper, I'm sure, would thank me."

"Yeah I'm sure. Gotta keep her in a good mood," Tony relented. "How's it looking, Chief?"

Bruce waved the meter around the vegetables. He didn't see much activity at all. "Seems safe enough." He picked a cucumber and bit into it. He considered the taste.

"What's the verdict?" Tony queried.

"Tastes all right. Looks like we did it. Betty, Dr. Sommers and I can write this up for the grant committee," Bruce assessed.

"_After _we file the patent," Tony reminded him. He pulled out his cell and sped dialed his favorite assistant. "Hey. What's shaking?"

"Hopefully not the lab," Pepper worried. "Tony, you haven't even been there for ten minutes."

"Yeah well. Our favorite boy here did it. The gamma growth project's looking good. We need to get the patent guys on it," Tony insisted.

"Really? That's great!" Pepper smiled at the news. She had been worried that another setback would cause Stark Enterprises' stocks to plummet worldwide. "I'll get Jones from legal on it ASAP. Maybe we could all do dinner?"

Tony eyed Bruce and shrugged. "I think the big guy was looking for a _private _celebration with his Plus 1. Then again, I'd try anything once…."

Pepper shook her head. She had long since adjusted to her boss/boyfriend's half-serious suggestions. "Sorry, I'm not into groups. If you want that, you can sleep with your armor."

"Yeah sure." Tony frowned at her answer. He had been joking. Really he had. He wasn't about to share Pepper with anyone else.

Bruce somehow kept a straight face. "If the others want dinner, Betty and I are game for it, Tony. We'll even do that Indian place again."

"Nah. Not swank enough." Tony ran through several options before coming up with an answer. "I've got it. Rignizzi's on Central Park West! That'll keep the team all happy, right?"

"I'll call Carmine right now. See you in a couple of hours," Pepper agreed as she hung up.

"Love you too," Tony replied with not quite the flippant air he might've. Of course he did love Pepper with everything he had. He just wasn't going to admit it in front of an audience. "Rignizzi's for dinner, Bruce."

"Love the ziti there. I'll let Betty know. Thanks, Tony." Bruce extended his hand toward his teammate. "Really. Thanks."

"Sure. No sweat. Maybe we can get to work on that modification for Iron Man?" Tony suggested.

"As soon as this grant's done, you bet," Bruce agreed. "Mind if I grab a lift back to the city? The LIRR isn't exactly my favorite."

"Sure. The limo's big enough for us. Come on," Tony agreed as they shut the lab down and headed toward the garage. "Text the little woman on the way."

Bruce just let the comment toward Betty go. He was happy. Success was finally his.

And for once, the Hulk wasn't getting in his way. If only it could last…..


	2. Back at the Shooting Range

Chapter 2 [SHIELD Compound—Times Square]

Even as the call to party went out, SHIELD's activities continued unabated. Trouble never ended in the world. America's interests needed constant maintenance and protection. The agents needed training and upgrading.

Such was the way with any group of that nature…..

Nick Fury poured through event files on his desktop with concern. For a while it seemed that the Avengers' triumph over Loki, Hydra and Thunderbolt Ross had stifled the bad guys. Things had been quiet. Still he kept the team drilling knowing that trouble would rear its head sooner or later.

And right on cue, it was unfolding.

Just after Christmas, super villains had begun disappearing from super maximum security prisons such as the Raft, the Vault and Project Pegasus. Every couple of weeks, the prison role call would look great by lights out. However the convict in question would be long gone in the morning.

The cameras in each cell showed only a dark flash of light enveloping the disappearing villain in question.

_Just what we need. Someone's collecting them like baseball cards. _He shook his head at the list in question.

The Abomination—the Hulk's super strong nemesis

Mr. Hyde—a scientist turned savage brute. Again with the strength to take on Thor or the Hulk

Ulysses Klaw—a soldier of fortune turned into a being of solid sound and could use that stuff as a weapon

The Controller—one of Stark's former scientists who'd grafted an exoskeleton to himself. Through slave disks, he could leach enough energy to empower himself to fly, throw mental blasts and become super strong.

Moonstone—a master manipulator even before she gained access to a space rock. Now she could phase through solid objects, fly and throw energy bursts

Hate Monger—a Hitler clone of all things. But even better, someone who could manipulate fear and hate levels in people

Black Mamba—one of Roxxon Oil's genetic experiments. She could play with your mind and then kill you on the spot. Lovely one, that one….

The Swordsman—Lived up to his name. Besides that he was Hawkeye's former guru. Nearly killed him too….

_Who's next? Dr. Doom? _He rolled his eyes in disgust at himself. He'd put Maria Hill and Phil Colson on detail to track down these creeps and get him intel. He also wanted the escapes to stop. Still he knew that until the source was taken out, they wouldn't. He shook his head and stood up.

Time to brief the archer….

[Firing Range—several floors below]

Even as his colleagues were out doing their excursions, Hawkeye sized up a target and pulled his bow string taut. With a second's hesitation, he let the shaft go.

The projectile struck in the middle of several predecessors, splitting a previous one already embedded in the bulls eye.

_Wish they'd get more serious! It's not like Loki or those Hydra creeps are the only villains in the universe! _He took two more shots and set his bow down. He'd been shooting for over an hour but it didn't feel like enough to him.

Thor, Captain America and the Black Widow had taken a vacation of sorts to Italy. And of course Hogan, Foster and the new Mrs. Rogers went with them.

Banner and Stark continued to play in the lab rather than sharpening their talents where it counted.

_Unreal! _He set his bow down and assessed his results grimly. _I really need to have Fury install moving targets or simulations to try against. _He chugged about a third of a bottled water and toweled the sweat off of his brow.

This work was so much easier than trying to have relationships…..

Women never wanted to stick with him. Hell the Black Widow, one in his string of exs, hit the mark with her criticism about playing with his bow.

As an orphan, all he'd known was the workhouse and rotating orphanages.

In the circus, he'd found his prized asset, the bow, and mentors to train him in that regard. He could still feel the jubilation of the crowds as he awed them with his deadly accuracy. Everything was going well….

….that is until he caught one of his mentors, the Swordsman, robbing the cash office. He tried to stop the other performer but nearly got killed in the process.

_Never trust your heart. It'll only get you killed. _He frowned and took another draught from his bottle. He had his duty for SHIELD. That was enough for him. He heard the door open and turned to find Fury standing there. "Colonel, what's going on?"

"At ease, Barton." Fury could clearly see that Hawkeye was playing porcupine with the target again. "See you're getting your work in."

"Got to stay sharp." Hawkeye noted the folder in the other's hand. "What's the job?"

Fury held up the folder. "Just something we're monitoring. I needed to ask you. Has the Swordsman tried to contact you in the last two weeks?"

The archer's eyes burned in indignation at the sound of the turncoat's name. "Not since the creep tried to kill me. I thought he was in the Vault."

"He's escaped along with several other prize citizens," Fury indicated dryly. "Just keep your eyes open, Agent Barton. I'm sure Duchene has a grudge against you too."

"I'm better now than I was then. Maybe you should recall the others? A group of super hostiles means one thing: someone wants Avengers insurance. We should stick together too," Hawkeye assured him.

Fury nodded in appreciation for the other's tactical assessment. "I'm bringing them back here tomorrow. Meantime Colson and Hill are working on intel." His phone rang. "What the Hell?" He answered it. "Hello?"

"Hey, Boss, what's shaking?" Tony cracked.

"Stark, you know you're not supposed to be on this line unless we're in a firefight!" Fury snapped. "What's the problem?"

Tony rolled his eyes. "No problem, Chief. Just figured you'd know where our resident William Tell is. Bruce and his Plus One cracked our food issue. Pepper, they and I are going for dinner. Figured that Barton could use a night out."

Fury really wanted to lecture the industrialist (again). Yet he knew it would do little good. Besides Stark was showing his version of consideration for the teammates. That was something to be encouraged. "He's right here. Tell Banner good job for me. Hang on." He held the cell out. "Stark."

Hawkeye rolled his eyes. "Wonder what he wants?" He took the phone. "Barton, here."

"Hey, Robin Hood. Banner and I are taking the ladies for dinner. Figured you could use some time away from your bow," Tony offered irreverently.

"I'm honing my craft, Stark." Hawkeye's eyes narrowed but he could see Fury shaking his head. He'd have rather said 'no' and left it at that. Still he knew the team needed an outing like this one. He took a deep breath.

"Come on. Knock down a few brews. Let your hair down. Tell you what. I'll even get you a date. How about that?" Tony pressed. Frankly he could've cared less but wanted to keep Fury off of his case. "Can you get to Rignizzi's on Central Park West?"

Hawkeye nodded. "I know where it is. When do you want to meet?"

"No rush, Big Guy. Get yourself cleaned up and over there when you can. If you can find someone on the way, no sweat. If not sure. See ya there. And tell Fury to lighten up already," Tony assured him before hanging up.

Hawkeye handed the phone back to Fury. "Guess I'm going to dinner." He headed toward the target. There he started pulling shafts out of it.

"I see. I suppose Stark had some pithy thing to say?" Fury inquired.

"Yeah. To lighten up already." Hawkeye shrugged. "You're on point, Colonel. So am I. That idiot's going realize one day that's what keeps you alive. Money and that armor will only get you so far."

"Try telling him that," Fury insisted. "Go on and get ready. We'll have more drills tomorrow. And, Barton, thanks for your insight."

Hawkeye shouldered his bow and quiver. He gave his superior a tacit nod. "No problem." With that he left the area.

_Stark is trying. So's Barton. Maybe we all should. _He grimaced. _Wish I knew more about those disappearances though! _Fury headed for the elevator himself and his computer. As he went, he felt uneasy about things.

As it turned out, it was for good reason…..


	3. Couples Bonding

Chapter 3 [Sorvino, Italy—Mountain to the North of the Town]

[A/N: References made to "Counter" here]

Half a world away, the night stars twinkled in their dark backdrop. A chill breeze sliced through the villages and small towns clustered to the south of the mountain. Despite the advances in Rome, Florence, Milan and other metropolises, Sorvino still remained the sleepy village it had always been. A few sheep would be grazing on the slopes once winter released its frozen grip across the grasslands. The farmers would be raising crops and enjoying their hard earned lives.

Some things though remained buried just out of view…and forgotten by the locals….

Perhaps that might be better in the long run….

Beneath the ruined monastery on the mountaintop, rubble clogged the monks' passages carved through it. Shattered beams, rocks and boulders barred access to what had been underneath. Scorch marks and some soot still marked the cavern walls from the battle that had taken place there seventy years earlier.

However within the mountain's base, a small chamber had escaped the rest of the complex's fiery end. Perhaps knowing what might happen, the villainous genius, Baron Zemo, had secreted many of his best weapons and technology in there and the adjoining vault. And in the corner, two large tubes pumped whispers of cryogenic gas into a large canister.

A canister that contained a deadly secret….for inside slept Zemo himself….He'd prepared the gas for a hibernation of sorts to last out Hitler's Third Reich if needed. He hadn't planned on a seven decade slumber….

…As the clocks in the village outside had struck seven on the previous night though, the gas had finally run out. The mists had dissipated over the course of a few hours. Air from a leak in one of the seals gasped into the area.

Zemo's hand twitched within the tube. Under the purple hood permanently grafted to his face, his jaw moved. His blue eyes snapped open. _"Vas ist das?" _He allowed his mind to clear for a few minutes. "The accursed _Amerikaner_!" He needed to know what was going on. First though he had to get out of the tube. For about fifteen minutes, he pushed his leaden arms upward toward the lid with great effort.

With the barest push, the lid popped open. A few white wisps spilled out into the cavern.

Zemo climbed out slowly. He forced his arms outward and flexed his legs to get the blood flowing through them again. His head cleared; his mind already working on details to deal with Hitler, the Allies and the accursed Captain America. His legs staggered through the first few steps. He guided himself along the cavern walls toward his vault of weapons.

The numbness forced him to stop several times along the way. Still he was a Zemo. He took a few deep breaths and pressed on.

His fingers ran through the sequence on the security lock.

The vault door opened with a sharp hissing sound. Stagnant air aged from the middle of the previous century flooded into the chamber.

Zemo strode into the area; his steps invigorated by what he'd secreted in there prior to his adversary's sabotage. He felt the hate burning inside of himself. His face pulled under the grafted hood….

…as if he needed a reminder of why he'd need vengeance….

His eyes surveyed the bunker and weapons therein. Several death ray rifles lay under glass on the wall. Right under them, a dozen canisters containing his plague gas awaited use. A vat of Adhesive X sat against the far wall.

A metallic exoskeleton however shone attentively in the corner. It consisted of interlocking steel strips inlayed with wiring and boosters of his own design. A pair of gloves held death ray apparatuses for use. The boots contained rockets for flight and propulsion.

The Baron smiled. He could imagine what the device's enhanced strength, flight and capability would offer him especially once the protective force field was turned on.

Time for the world to feel his wrath…

[the Village beneath—Twenty minutes later]

Thor fought off uncharacteristic nerves as he stood on a second story terrace. He let the cool night air soothe his face and ease his anxiety. He'd taken on frost giants, dealt with exile, put up with his brother's arrogance and held the Golden Realm together almost single handedly.

Still the bauble in his hand weakened his resolve. It almost _scared _him.

He opened his hand to see the engagement ring glittering up at him in the gentle moonlight. He knew of the changes it beckoned for both Earth and Asgard.

He'd be married if it worked out.

Jane would have to be raised to a goddess in her own right…again if it worked out.

Odin, thoroughly impressed by his son's intended's abilities, approved. While he would've preferred Sif for his son's side, the All Father understood the dual nature of Asgardian aims. As he would've for Loki, he accepted that Thor needed to join Asgard and Earth through his own union.

_Why doth I feel like this? This is madness! _He ground his teeth. For the past three days, he'd stumbled over chances to propose to his girlfriend. He felt both grateful and resentful toward the teammates with him on this trip for leaving him to face the crisis alone.

Alas he knew it was for him and him alone….

The diamond sparkled at him almost like the icy wastes of Joltenheim…and it almost felt as if a frost giant would bash him over the head in the next moment.

_Thou art the God of Thunder! Enough of this madness! Jane is the one! _He gazed at the flowers Steve and Peggy had picked for the room. He admired the blooms' heartiness and beauty at having sprouted through the patches of snow on the Alpine terrain above the hamlet.

Just like his favorite physicist…..

He remembered when Bruce had proposed to Betty Ross. He and the other Avengers had to stand watch close by as the anxiety threatened to bring the Hulk out for a "visit". _And now it's my turn! End this now! _He heard the door open. He smelled the familiar scent and smiled. "Greetings! Enjoy thy walk?"

"It's a beautiful evening. Wish you'd come with us," Jane answered pleasantly yet with concern. For the previous three days, she'd wondered why he'd been so standoffish. She'd given him his space but worried that he wasn't well. _Wonder what passes for the flu in Asgard? _"Steve and Peggy wanted to meet for dinner. Please come." She trembled with concern.

"Of course I shall," he assured her. He crossed the room and embraced her warmly. "I cannst never say nay to thee."

She felt herself relaxing in his arms. Her heart slowed a bit. She smiled. "Then be honest with me."

"Of course," he agreed.

"What's wrong? Is it something I did?" she queried with concern. "If so, Thor, I'm sorry."

"Nay. Tis not thee." He took a deep breath. "I am considering a change…for me…for us. It shall affect Earth, Asgard and the Avengers."

Her eyes went wide. "You're leaving? Odin wants you back, doesn't he?"

He chuckled warmly. "Nay. The All Father approves of thee, Jane. That is not the situation."

"But you spoke of a change?" she supposed; her mind swimming with all sorts of possibilities.

"Aye. The change is for us." He cleared his throat. "I will ask straightforth. Yes?"

She crossed her arms almost impatiently. "Please do."

He drew the ring out of his pocket and held it up between them, letting the candlelight glint off of the gold.

She felt the breath catch in her throat. Her heart skipped a beat and then two. She stared at him. "You mean…_this _had you so nervous?"

"Aye." He forced his eyes to meet hers with great effort. "I wish a union twixt us…our worlds…and our hearts forever. I love thee, Jane. Be mine. Let me be yours." He kneeled before her to humble himself. "Please."

She smiled at him. "Yes! Oh yes!" She took his hands in hers. "I want that too!" She sealed her acceptance with a passionate lip lock. "I want to share the Nine Worlds with you."

He laughed heartily. "I only influence Asgard and here on Midgard, Jane. However with Heimdall's aide, we can see the other seven as you wish. May I?"

She held her hand out eagerly. "Please do!"

He slid the ring onto her index finger slowly and with a dignified air letting them both soak in the moment. Then his lips gently brushed the back of the hand. "It doth do your hand justice, Milady."

"As does the man who gave it to me." She let her eyes glitter into his. "Thank you." She kissed him again. "Shall we let the others know?"

"Aye at dinner." He returned the gesture with one of his own. "For now tis our moment, Milady."

She only nodded while melting into the kiss. It was their moment after all…..

[Steve and Peggy's Room]

Peggy typed away on her laptop diligently. Despite the busman's holiday, she wanted to stay current on SHIELD business especially when it concerned her friends and especially her Captain.

So far though, there had been nothing of note on any of the agency's cases. The loose ends had remained loose.

_Maybe that's for the best! _She reclined back in her chair and mused over the remembrance tour. During the past week, she, Steve, Thor, Jane, Natasha and Happy had toured all of the old villages in eastern France, southern Germany and northern Italy that Steve had fought in. Little seemingly had changed in the Alpine countryside.

For the Captain, it provided a breath of sanity during his adjustment to the modern era. He enjoyed that things seemed so pristine and unchanged. He recalled several farmhouses along their progress. He took the group into a favorite mercantile in eastern Alsace-Lorraine that the Howling Commandos had showed him for cheese and crackers washed down with good French wine.

_If it helps Steve to enjoy himself, then more power to this! _She smirked knowing how romantic he had been on the trip as well. Twice he'd surprised her with flowers. Then he had arranged for her favorite chocolates to be delivered to the room not to mention her number one perfume.

Marriage had been a boon for them both.

"Let's hope things stay quiet," she wished as the phone rang. "Yes?"

"Peggy, it's Pepper Potts. Sorry to disturb you," Pepper replied.

"It's quite all right, Pepper. Steve is just dressing. We're getting ready to go to dinner with the others. Everything all right?" Peggy assured her.

"Everything's going quite well. Bruce made that discovery on the produce. Tony's taking the rest of the team that's here out to dinner. I hope Mr. Barton can join us. There's been nothing new on those escapees," Pepper reported.

"So the Colonel has informed me. We'll be back there tomorrow night. Hopefully Thor will have asks his question by then. The waiting is getting quite nerve wracking," Peggy stated with a little impatience.

"He _still _hasn't asked her? I thought he had his mind made up," Pepper wondered.

"Steve's been helping him with the nerves. I just hope it works out," Peggy clarified. She saw her husband walk into the main room in his plush robe. "Anything to tell him?"

"Just to have fun," Pepper informed her. "Well Tony's about to have a fit. I need to go. See you at JFK tomorrow night."

"Thank you. Take care," Peggy concluded before hanging up. She turned to find Steve putting his white shirt and slacks on over his costume. "You aren't really going to wear your gear tonight, Captain?"

"Just a hunch. Something's bugging me. Figured better to be safe," he assured her while buttoning his shirt up.

"Steve, Zemo died in that explosion during the war." She rubbed his shoulder reassuringly.

"They never found the body," he disagreed.

She sighed heavily. "Steve, Zemo was crushed in the explosion. Even if he escaped, we never heard from him again. The castle was demolished. I know the mountain is right outside. But it's long gone. And so's Zemo."

"I know but I just feel secure having this stuff on me," he declared. "Nobody needs to know but us." He fixed his tie and put his blazer on.

"If you want to, Steve, all right. We do need to relax at some point," she relented. "The war is over."

"I know and we have each other," he concurred. "Let's go and have a great time."

"That's more like it," she agreed as they headed out the door.


	4. Party Crashed

Chapter 4

[Rignizzi's Café—Central Park West]

Barton sat in the back of the cab as he drove toward the swank eatery. He squirmed in the starched dress shirt, charcoal slacks and matching blazer. He hated social gatherings like this one. Quite a waste of time…away from training….

…away from making himself better….

_Stark always loves showing off! Even if Banner pulled this off, just log the damn thing and move on to the next project already! _He had to give Banner his props. Like himself, the physicist dealt with adversity on a nonstop basis and gained a foothold of sorts. _If it keeps the Hulk under wraps, put up with it. _

He had to admit that he felt naked without his bow and quiver. Call it paranoia but he had a bad feeling about the impending _rendezvous_. Almost as if he and the others were walking into a trap. He took his cell out and dialed Fury's number. "Boss?"

"Barton? What the Hell?" Fury wondered. "Are you still in the cab?"

"Yeah. Any sightings of our buddies around here? Just want to be ready in case they want to join us for dinner," Barton replied in code.

Fury felt himself cooling off. Unlike Stark and Thor, Hawkeye did appreciate discretion. He turned to Hill who was monitoring a satellite feed. "Anything new?"

"No, Sir. It looks clean. No sign of any of the escapees within the restaurant area," she reported.

"Thanks." Fury got back on his phone. "You're clean, Barton. Thanks for being vigilant. Try to relax and let Banner do the same. I don't want a Hulk out down there. Got me?"

"Yeah, Boss. I got it. See ya," Barton relented and hung up. He'd been so out of it that he hadn't noticed that the cab had stopped and the driver was staring at him. "What? Had to make a call." He handed the slender Asian a twenty to cover the fare and a healthy tip before climbing out of the cab. He surveyed the glitzy Italian place.

Rather than a neon sign, the eatery had a simple wooden sign. Regular windows poked through a brick edifice constructed nearly eighty years earlier. He could see a line of business casually dressed couples standing just out of the door. A bit of violin music—Stravinsky, perhaps?—wafted out into the chill night.

The archer nodded to himself. _Sometimes Stark does surprise! _He went for the door hoping that he wouldn't have had to stand at the back of the line. As he made his way toward the _maître-de_, he stopped cold.

A tall and athletically built dark haired man smiled coldly at him from the corner. He twitched his thin mustache and let his blue eyes shine into Barton's.

The same ones which had glared menacingly at him that day at the circus…before trying to impale him on a sword….

"Duchene?" Barton called in astonishment.

"Begging your pardon, sir?" the _maître-de_, an African-American female,wondered. "Can I help you?"

Barton shook his head. He looked again to find the corner empty. _Now I'm really goin' nuts. Fury's right. Chill out. _He took a deep breath. "Yeah. I'm with Tony Stark's party. Has he arrived yet?"

"You're Mr. Barton. Of course, sir! Follow me!" She led him through the full dining area toward a back door. "Mr. Stark gets the VIP room of course."

"Of course." Barton had to keep a straight face. _Figures that his money buys him privilege. What else does it get? Gotta wonder. _He still had the nagging feeling running up and down his spine. Another survey of the room turned up nothing.

"Mr. Barton? Is something wrong?" she inquired curiously. "We need to head this way."

"Yeah sure." He followed her cautiously up the creaky wooden stairs to the banquet room at the top. The entire second floor consisted of varnished floors, a private wet bar, white table cloths with lit candles and stuffed shirtiness 101.

Barton again kept a straight face. _So much like Stark. _He eyed the décor on the wall and saw a few portraits. More importantly for him, a few antique weapons made him relax. He spied a mace, a seventeenth century bow flanked by a dozen arrows. _My type of art at least._

"He's cool, Monique. Thanks, Doll," Tony assured the _maître-de _while tipping her for the effort. After she left, he assured the latest guest. "Really cool, huh? Figured something private yet upscale would be in order?"

"From what Fury said, you pulled another rabbit out of your hat," Barton supposed. He saw Bruce sitting with Pepper and Betty in the corner. "You're going to feed the world? Some trick." He conceded a handshake for his host.

"Yeah it is and Stark Enterprises is on top of it," Tony replied while shaking his teammate's hand. "Give Bruce some kudos too."

"Considering that he did the lab work, Tony. You are entitled to _twelve percent of the moment_," Pepper jabbed. "Clint, join us please. Glad you could make it."

"Glad to be here," Barton replied half-truthfully. He smiled while shaking Bruce's hand. "Great going. Keep honing those skills and the control."

"We all have to." Bruce returned the handshake. "Having Betty onboard with us is great. Still life is a balance. Are you all right? You seem stressed."

"He just needs a drink." Tony looked pointedly at Barton. _Chill, Dude. _

"It's okay, Clint," Betty assured him. "Colonel Fury has the place under surveillance."

"I know." He leaned close to Tony. "I saw a potential party crasher downstairs."

"Really?" The industrialist scoffed allowing himself a sarcastic smirk. "The paparazzi's always lurking."

"Paparazzi?" Bruce wondered while feeling his heart skip a beat. He sipped on his herbal tea.

The ladies shook their head ever so subtly at the host.

Tony rolled his eyes but got the hint. "Barton, a word now." He escorted him across the otherwise empty room to a private spot. "What the Hell's your problem? We're supposed to be having fun and you're ruining it."

"I know who I saw. One of Fury's escapees was there," Barton retorted. "He tried to kill me in the past, Stark. I think I would know him."

"That's why we're up here and we have our big boy toys," Tony countered firmly almost like a father would a petulant child. "I have the chef cooking for us personally. The waitstaff and bar is mine. I have my armor. I took the liberty of having a bow and a quiver delivered for you too."

"Oh." Barton stared incredulously at his host. Maybe Stark wasn't as half assed as he thought.

"I don't take chances especially with our present company. Now I wish the Boy Scout hadn't announced his big trip." He got on the comm. "Rhodey?"

"Yeah, Tony?" Jim Rhodes queried over the mike.

"What's the sitch downstairs? Anything?" Tony wondered.

"Nada. Should there be?" the Air Force officer asked anxiously. He frowned while taking a bite of the best chicken madrone he'd ever had. "Grey guy's outside. Should I take him some?"

Tony rolled his eyes. He hated to ruin his friend's experience. Still Barton, while paranoid some times, could be as dead on with the intel as he was with his shot. "Do it just in case. I'll have Antoine bring you those canolis. Sound good?"

"No sweat and…." Rhodey hesitated for a minute. "Tony, don't worry about the meal." He watched a couple sitting in the corner and seeming to enjoy a glass of wine apiece.

The man wore a green suit with what seemed to be an old emerald cape over it.

The woman was blonde and wearing a white woolen sweater and a long grey skirt. White shoes of some kind poked out from under the skirt. She shot Rhodey a glare before returning to her companion.

"What? Rhodey, you love that stuff!" Tony protested.

"Better get going. Construction's going to be Hell on 95," Rhodey declared cryptically. "Mr. Grey's going to want seconds."

"He'll get it." Tony grimaced while getting the code. He walked back toward the table almost dragging Barton with him. "Drive safe." He hung up.

"Stark, what the Hell?" Barton wondered.

"Seems like your intuition was right on, Robin Hood. We have party crashers in the restaurant. Joy joy to the world," Tony announced.

"What?" Bruce almost spilled his tea. "Here?"

"Yeah. Here. Guess being part of Fury's hit squad has a price." Tony walked behind the bar and produced Hawkeye's bow and quiver. "Your spares as promised are down here."

"Great." Barton disappeared behind the bar. He stooped low and slid the quiver's welcoming weight on his back. He fingered the bow string and felt whole again. Still he could've swore he saw a shadow passing by one of the skylights above. "Twelve o' clock!"

"What do we do?" Betty queried anxiously.

Bruce sighed. After years on the run, he knew when the crap was about to hit the fan. "We don't start anything." He grabbed his coat. "I'd rather move this party back to the compound."

"Only one way out of this room, Genius." Tony motioned behind him to the stairs. "We're kind of stuck."

Pepper tried a phone call but got nothing. "Tony, it's not getting through!"

"Terrific. We're being jammed. Score two for the bad guys," Tony deadpanned. He brought out an attaché case. "Just in case."

The skylight above exploded inward, raining shards of glass into the center of the room. A grey clad figure slid down a rope and landed cat like on his feet. "Don't touch it, Stark." He unsheathed his sword and held it at the ready. "Care for a duel or a dance?"

A power blast shattered the table and scattered the company across the room. The satchel landed twenty feet away.

Barton forced himself to stay behind the bar. _Wait for it. Wait for your shot. Duchene's too good to screw around with._

Tony in the meantime checked on the others. He tensed and still kept an eye on his case.

"Try again and I'll kill you," the interloper hissed. "Now let's keep calm. Dr. Banner's idea about moving the party was apt."

"Sorry. I wasn't thinking about you," Bruce groused. He felt his heart beating faster while pulling a shard of wood out of his arm. "You really don't want to get me mad. Just leave."

"Duchene, listen," Barton instructed while pointing his bow at the other man. "Your sword's loaded but so are my arrows. You know what I can do. I know what you can do. Stark, get your hardware."

"JARVIS!" Tony instructed.

On cue, the case snapped open on its own. A red and yellow bundle jetted toward him. "On it, Sir!" Within a heartbeat, the armor was conforming to his body. "Need a second!"

"Got him," Barton noted while firing another shot at their foe.

Duchene deflected the shaft with his blade. He knew he'd failed to take them by surprise. He spoke into an earpiece. "Get going."

"On it," the female voice answered.

Having completed his suiting up, Iron Man strutted across the floor. "You're going back to your nice cell, Jeeves. Hope you had fun running around."

Outside the sounds of battle had started.

"Seems your Mr. Grey is having problems! I'm not called the Swordsman for nothing!" The interloper fired a pair of blasts from his blade and evaded Hawkeye's shot. "You still can't hit the broadside of a barn, can you?"

War Machine flew into the room and hit the wall. "You sure know how to throw a party, Tony."

"It's me," Iron Man retorted tersely.

"Indeed, Mr. Stark!" Outside the woman from downstairs levitated in midair. She had shed her outer clothes to reveal a yellow sleeveless suit with a metallic moon design on her chest and sporting white gloves and boots.

"Careful, Tony!" Betty advised. "That's Moonstone!"

"Her?" Bruce remembered the manipulative psychiatrist from three years earlier at Gamma Base.

"For someone so reclusive, you sure know your share of babes, Chief," War Machine insisted. "She's got company too."

"Don't be foolish. We don't want the ladies getting hurt. Just surrender," she commanded.

The door splintered inward with a loud roar below. A loud stomping echoed off of the stairs as first a ragged mop of brown hair could be seen followed by its hulking master. The slender man from the table had been replaced by a brutish Neanderthal with bulging muscles and a maniacal grin. "Too bad Thor's not here."

"That would be the third member of our party," Swordsman declared. "Mr. Hyde." He grinned. "Banner, we brought another friend too."

"Goldilocks is tied up right now, Ugly. Try this!" Iron Man blasted Hyde right back down the stairs.

"Tony, what the Hell?" War Machine demanded. "There are _people _down there!"

"There are people up here too, Chief!" Iron Man groused sarcastically. "Put those moves to use, Guys!" He jetted off and dropped his shoulder to ram Hyde out of view.

"BANNER!" a familiar voice echoed from below.

Betty's face went white. "Not again. Bruce!"

"Bromsky?" Bruce rubbed Betty's shoulder to reassure them both. By now he spasmed. He heard the Hulk's screaming within his head. As he glanced around the floating Moonstone, his worst fears were realized.

"FIGHT ME! I WANT THE HULK!" the Abomination demanded. The green being grinned savagely at him from street level. The almost nine feet tall with bumps running along his spine and the place where his eyebrows had been had already demolished several cars and effectively blockaded them in.

"Bruce, you can't…." Pepper noted.

"We're…past…." Bruce whispered as he felt the red surge wiping out his consciousness. He rose slowly from the table. "St…stay down!" He staggered, each step burning with Pain's coals. He felt his clothes pulling at his torso and shredding as his muscles bulged.

"No…no….no," Betty moaned at the disintegration of events around themselves.

The Hulk screamed his rage at his antagonists.

"Damn it!" Moonstone fired two concussive blasts at the emerald man mountain.

"GIVE HIM TO ME!" the Abomination bellowed from below.

The Hulk's eyes narrowed as he tore a section of the bar up to deflect the blasts. He heard the fighting both downstairs and outside. The sirens approaching meant another standoff with the police. Yet the people with him had been his friends. He knew the woman in front of him had hurt him before. The monster below had nearly killed him and his friends.

Nobody hurt the Hulk's friends….He snarled.

War Machine blasted Moonstone with a repulsor burst. While he wasn't exactly secure with being around the Hulk, he figured on not looking a gift horse in the mouth. "Get out there, Big Guy!"

Hawkeye shot another shaft managing to graze his former mentor. "You heard him! We've got it up here! SMASH DOWN THERE!"

The Hulk motioned toward the girls and then nodded curtly. He jumped out of the window landing three stories below and spider webbing the pavement under his feet. With another giant stride, he put himself between the restaurant and his adversary.

The Abomination flung the remains of a Porsche aside and sniggered, "At last!" He clenched his fists and charged.

Not about to give any ground especially to _this one_, the Hulk did the same.

The fight was on…


	5. Target: Sorvino

Chapter 5

[Hidden Base]

Far away from the events unfolding in America and Italy, a shadowy figure observed them. Relayed through a private satellite, he gauged everything. His green eyes weighed the odds of the face offs. He employed divide and conquer techniques.

He didn't count on the Avengers being split as they were…although despite Iron Man and the Hulk's respective abilities, that battle would soon be decided.

Nor did he count on what was going on beneath the mountain in Sorvino. As with Captain America, he thought Zemo dead.

Given the location of the events, it couldn't be anyone else. The genius involved would've allowed a means of survival for three quarters of a century.

_Another member of my Masters of Evil! _He clenched his slender fists allowing the rings on his fingers to glitter in the dim lighting. He considered the power within his grasp. He knew he had a formidable fighting force in addition to his own capabilities.

All that remained was to get rid of the Avengers and the path would be clear….

Two other figures stood nearby. They watched him as he did everything else.

One raised his right arm; a metallic device glinted against the computer screen beneath it. "Where do we find them?"

"Italy," the other shadowy figure deduced. Even obscured, one could clearly see the muscular features in the silhouette. "Pity. I would relish another encounter with Iron Man."

"The other Avengers will be challenge enough," Metal Hand noted. "When do we go, Mr. M?"

"A moment. We need to savor this." The observer pressed a button on his console. "How is your bioskeleton?"

Shadow Figure 2 replied, "The biomodem we devised should give me power anywhere."

"If that is the case, now you may go." The mastermind aimed his left hand at them and fired a dark burst.

The two underlings disappeared into the darkness.

The monitor switched to a casual restaurant in Sorvino's center. "Now, my friends, we'll see."

[Sorvino]

Within the mountain, Zemo had fitted himself with the exoskeleton and flexed his arms. Even after the down time, the enhancing device still functioned at full parameters. He strutted over to where the rocks had buried the entrance and grabbed a large boulder.

To his surprise, the barrier felt like Styrofoam. It fell away easily. Within minutes, the rest of the obstacles did as well.

Zemo stepped out into the clear and cold night. He beheld the stars twinkling above. Despite his mask, he could feel the chill on his face. "Once more I am free!" He glared down at the village below and smirked to himself. He flipped a switch on his right wrist.

A glowing force field encapsulated him. Then his boots propelled him into the sky and toward the unsuspecting hamlet below.

A demonstration, it seemed, was in order…

[Rosa's Café—Village Center]

Natasha sat uncomfortably in the dining room by herself. She truly hoped that Thor would propose to Jane before the trip's end. _Such dawdling. Unreal. _She pressed a wine glass gently to her lips to distract herself.

Around her, five other small tables sat unoccupied. A few portraits hung on the brown wallpapered walls. Strangely though, she was the only person in the area other than the staff.

"Happy, where are you?" She checked her watch again. "I should've insisted." She saw him coming through the door and waving to her. She felt herself relaxing.

"Sorry I'm late," Happy apologized. He gently kissed her on the cheek. "Just stopped to check on the others. Get you another drink?"

"_Nyet_," she declined. "Thank you though." She glanced up the stairs. "They're coming."

He never failed to be amazed at how sharp her reflexes and instincts were. To him, they were just more to love about her. He smiled. "You'd make a hell of a security guard."

"Part of keeping alive as a spy," she responded low. "You're not so bad yourself." She motioned to her teammates and their companions.

"Sorry we're late," Steve apologized as he assisted Peggy into her chair. "We…had something going on."

Peggy eyed Jane and smiled knowingly.

Thor shrugged. "I had to ask a question. Jane accepted." He smiled warmly at his _fiancée_.

"It was my pleasure," Jane concurred. She set the ringed hand firmly on the table. "I'm just glad he asked."

"Some things cannst be rushed, Milady," Thor pointed out. "Thou art the most important part of everything."

"Marriage is that," Steve agreed. "And…."

At that moment, a loud crash and explosion came from the square outside.

"COME OUT! DIE LIKE MEN! I WILL FINISH WHAT I STARTED!"

Another loud blast and the splintering of building materials was heard. Then another could be heard.

"Dinner is officially off, I guess." Natasha stood. "Happy, stay here with Jane and Peggy."

Steve shook his head. "That voice." He got up slowly.

"Steve, that's Zemo! He was buried alive!" Peggy protested.

"So was he," Happy reminded them all. "Tasha, be careful." He looked warmly into her eyes. "Come back to me."

Natasha reached into her purse. Within a heartbeat, she'd secured them onto her wrists. "Stay here."

"Thor, get your hammer. Natasha, you're with me," Steve instructed them. "Peggy, stay down."

"Not an option, Captain. We'll be ready if needed," his wife replied firmly. "Just get the bastard."

"This time, he won't get away." As they were alone in the room, Steve stripped off his suit to reveal his costume. He slipped his gloves, mask and shield into place. "Ready, Widow?"

"One minute, Captain." Thor held his hand out.

In response, his hammer levitated from where it sat under the bed, flew out the window, down two floors and through the glass. It sought out its master's hand no matter the barrier. It zipped around a corner and into his hand.

"I said get it. We didn't have to damage anything," Cap argued.

"Time ist critical. We need _Mjonir_. I have it. Come!" Thor countered. "Lead the way."

Cap didn't argue further. He simply shot Peggy another glance before heading out into the cold.

"Watch him," Peggy pleaded.

"He is never alone," Thor assured her. "Natasha, we finish this."

"After you, Thor," the Widow responded as they rushed after their friend.

"Who is that?" Happy wondered.

"An old enemy from the war. Baron Heinrich Zemo," Peggy shook her head in horror. She recalled the Baron's scheming and technology from the past. She dreaded what he would do with modern advancements. _Stop him, Captain!_

Another battle was about to begin…..


	6. Sorvino Standoff

Chapter 6

[Manhattan—SHIELD Complex]

Even as the dinner crashing commenced, Fury sat at his desk and reflected on the Avengers' progress as a team. He could see their mutual trust level rising. Their training exercises reflected increased knowledge in each other's capabilities. Their extracurricular activities accelerated this bonding.

He awaited word on the Sorvino trip as well as on Tony's dinner.

_Maybe this might work. _He'd argued with his superiors but stuck firm to his guns. He determined to make the Avengers initiative work out. Granted he'd only seen a few covert missions with the group since the Loki/Hydra mess but he could see _progress…_

Three thoughtful puffs of smoke escaped his cigar.

A considerate nod of his head revealed his inner most pride and determination over that fact. "If only we can keep things on course."

His walkie talkie buzzed disrupting the moment.

"Colonel?" a persistent female voice wondered.

He hit the talk button. "Yeah, Hill, what is it?" He had a bad feeling if Maria Hill was breaking off her research to contact him.

"Sir, do you have your monitor on? We have crises here in New York and Italy. Several of the missing super villains have engaged the Avengers," Hill reported.

"Are you serious?" He ground his teeth. "I thought Colson assured us that they weren't in the city." He activated his screen and watched the external feed.

"They weren't, Colonel! It's as if they just appeared out of nowhere!" she protested.

Fury shook his head. "Tell NYPD to stay clear and maintain a cordon. Meet me in the motor pool with Nelson and Rivers in full body armor and weapons."

"Already done. I'm heading for the motor pool. Keys are already in the chopper. Hill, out."

Fury checked his pistol and stuck it back in his holster. He really needed to chat with his analysts about keeping their eyes open. He could clearly see Jim Rhodes in his War Machine armor assisting the New York contingent while Thor, Cap and the Widow engaged another trio of villains.

There would be time later to worry about those details. Right now it was time to kick tail…..

[Sorvino]

Zemo strutted across the cracked cobblestones while admiring his own handiwork. He saw the burning and splintered buildings all around. Smoke rose into the night sky. His ears picked up on the screams of the residents fleeing into the night.

From the cathedral's ancient bell tower, gonging rang out both alerting the denizens to danger and imploring for aid from others.

The Baron paid no mind to these things. He was too engrossed with his destructive drive and the objects left around himself.

The strange clothes and possessions proved puzzling. Despite covering for the cold, the rabble exposed themselves. They seemed irreverent.

He picked up a discarded cell phone on the pavement. A moment's consideration provided him with a theory. The talking device seemed to be of Hydra design. "They conquered this place before I could!" He felt the bile rising in his gut. In contempt, he shattered the phone against the cobbles.

Thunder boomed overhead seemingly out of place. Dark clouds appeared out of nowhere.

"_Was ist?" _He raised his eyes toward the heavens. He could see an ebon shadowy figure seemingly directing the storm—which was impossible….. "SCHMITT!" He raised his hand while sighting his next target.

Directly in the middle of the square, the _Agua Victoria _fountain represented the village's hopes and resilience. Built by the Hapsburgs and presented to its seventeenth century mayor during their brief occupation of the area, the natives had nevertheless taken it as a symbol. The granite angel spewed water from her pitcher into the granite basin below.

It had stood at the center of festivals, banquets, weddings and funerals. It had witnessed horror and stood tall.

Now Zemo's shadow fell over it. The butcher couldn't stomach it.

As with any hope, he would extinguish it. He raised his hands and targeted the figure's grace. Then he lurched; his blasts spewing harmlessly into the dark. He turned to see the Widow crouched in a battle stance about twenty feet to his right. "Crazed witch!" He fired a series of bursts from the wrist mounted death rays.

She evaded each one and went into a flying dragon kick. Whoever this was, he certainly had more firepower than his predecessor. Her foot impacted with the force field.

The energy field repulsed her hard. The discharge flung her hard across the square momentarily stunning her.

"BAH!" He raised his hand for a killing stroke and fired again.

On cue, a red, white and blue blur intercepted the beam, shielding her from its fatal blast.

A powerful lightning blast scorched the stones at his feet.

"_NEIN!" _Zemo glowered at the blur as it flew into the dark. His eyes could now clearly make out Thor in the storm's awesome spectacle. But the sight stepping into the light stunned him more.

"It's over, Zemo. This time you're not getting away!" Cap challenged.

Despite the surprises unfolding around himself, Zemo stared at his old foe. His eyes narrowed hatefully. "Captain America! You survived as well! No matter! I will bring you back to Hitler myself! He will reward me!"

"Zemo, it's over. Hitler's…" Cap started before raising his shield to deflect the latest blast.

"It will be over when your _Amerikaner _carcass hangs in Berlin as our trophy! The Third Reich will prevail!" Zemo asserted.

"There _is _no more Reich!" she bellowed at him. "It's gone! All of it!"

Zemo snarled. "LIES!" He fired several more times at her.

"We've both slept a long time!" Cap strode closer to his enemy. "It's 2012!" He tried his own frontal assault but was repulsed as well.

"You've done this! American swine!" Zemo snorted angrily. "As if you could get through my energy field? Fool!"

Thor landed between the two antagonists. "Nay but I can!" He swung _Mjonir _into the energy bubble.

The hammer's impact combined with the repulsion effect to cause a shockwave rocking what was left of the square. Buildings swayed, windows shattered and the ground shook.

Cap braced himself against the fountain's base and held up his shield letting the latter take the brunt of the sonic discharge. Although his ears buzzed, he wasn't hurt.

The Widow managed to land safely without hurting herself overly much. Whatever Thor just did, it had an effect. She launched herself at the Nazi and scored a kick right into the small of the latter's back pushing him to the ground.

"Give up now!" Thor advised pointedly. "Thou art finished!"

"I'd listen, Zemo." Cap affirmed while standing over his fallen adversary.

Zemo responded by trying to blast him futilely. However his exoskeleton had been shorted out by the blast. He rolled away from Cap and scrambled slowly to his feet. "I would die first!" He produced a gun and started firing.

"We tried," she noted with a shrug. She delivered a knockout blow to Zemo's jaw. "How'd you deal with him?"

"He's a monster, Natasha. Don't underestimate him," Cap insisted while rolling Zemo onto his stomach and holding the latter's wrists together. "Think you can put the ribbon on him?"

She smirked in appreciation of his sentiment. "No wonder Peggy loves your touch, Captain." She pointed her hands at the fallen enemy allowing twin cables to shoot forth from her bracelets. Within seconds, she'd pinned the fallen adversary's hands and wrists to his back. "Fury'll love this."

Thor frowned. "This one has been a long time in coming. And…." His eye caught two more forms across the square. "By the _Bifrost_!" He just managed to evade a flying piece of stone.

Cap and the Widow turned toward the source as well. They could see a slender red figure with a grey face holding what seemed to be a horn of some kind over his right hand at them. In addition, a grey clad figure with a sea of scars ripped across his face flung still more projectiles at them.

"Be alert, People!" Cap commanded. Remembering SHIELD's file on the escapees, he noted, "It's Klaw and the Controller!"

"For all the good it will do you! We'll take Zemo and let you live!" the Controller spat. He lumbered toward the fallen Zemo….

…only to meet with Thor's powerful left hook…

"Give up now," Thor commanded.

Klaw fired a sonic burst from his hand weapon. The pulse knocked the others senseless for a brief second. However it was long enough for him to grab Zemo. "Let's go!"

The Controller shook off the stunning effects of his ally's maneuver. "Warn me next time!"

In a dark flash, the trio disappeared.

"What ist that? BLAST!" Thor groused.

"They outmaneuvered us," Cap noted. "Seems we have bigger issues than Zemo right now. Let's check on the others. Then we need to report in." He stood up slowly and helped her to do the same.

"Fury's going to love this," she declared.

"We did what we could," Cap countered. "For now we know what the other villains have been doing. Now we'd best get back to New York." With that, he led them toward the hotel and their companions. He felt uneasy at best at the Nazi genius' revival. Worse still he didn't care for the fact that Zemo had allies.

This was a royal mess indeed…


	7. New York Standoff

Chapter 6 [Rignizzi's Café—New York]

[A/N: Just popping in for a quick update. Still puzzling over how this story's going to unfold. But I wanted to finish the scene.]

As the battle proceeded behind them, the restaurant's patrons rushed out onto the street in a panic-stricken flood. They'd fled the mess inside the eatery. But that didn't prepare them for the gamma-infused clash about thirty yards to their right.

SWAT members and SHIELD agents ushered those victims behind the cordons as quickly as possible.

With what was going on, they didn't need any further casualties….

Pepper guided Betty towards Fury carefully. After the Hulk's emergence onto the scene, they'd used the distraction to slip out of Tony's suite, down the stairs, past the fight between Hyde and the armored avenger and out onto the street. _How did they get past the surveillance?_

Betty yanked her down onto the street and fell on top of her. "Get down, Pepper!"

Right overhead, a twisted steel fragment clanged off of the brick and mortar edifice.

Betty stared into the Abomination's eyes. She recoiled from the sadism and angry fire therein. Her heart stopped as the villain grinned at her. She froze as he took a step toward her and Pepper.

The Hulk's right hook put an end to those thoughts quickly driving the larger foe in the other direction. He motioned ever so noticeably with his head as if to say _"Get the Hell out of here NOW!"_

His love understood while guiding Pepper through the barricade to Fury's side. "There's more fighting going on inside of the restaurant, Colonel."

"So the guys tell me," Fury retorted evenly. Even if he was seriously pissed by the public standoff, he also knew it wasn't the Avengers' fault. "Did these creeps just appear?"

"They were waiting for us and…." Pepper started.

Iron Man flew backward through the front window before skidding to a halt about halfway across the street. "That's it!" He rocketed back into the building.

The sounds of battle intensified once more on three fronts.

Fury put his walkie to his mouth. "CONTAIN! DO NOT ENGAGE! LEAVE THAT TO THE AVENGERS! JUST MAKE SURE NONE OF THIS CRAP GETS OUTSIDE THE ENGAGEMENT ZONE!"

"Such pithy commands, Boss. Maybe you might want to kick some ass too?" Iron Man's voice retorted into his ear.

"More fighting and less mouth, Stark! GOT IT?" Fury barked. He glared at the women and then at the battle in the street.

The bile really ate at his stomach now and was about to get worse…..

The Hulk glared at the irritating gnats swarming just behind the barricades. He really didn't care if another knock down fight occurred behind and above him in the café. Had he not been so pissed, he would've rolled his eyes at the police and National Guard a half block away.

Puny humans frankly were just that….puny and _stupid_.

Betty though did merit consideration. His emerald eyes scanned the rabble desperately for the physicist before finding her with Fury and Pepper to his right.

She nodded to him reassuringly. Then saw the other berserker rising from the rubble. "BEHIND YOU!"

The Hulk wheeled around and managed to duck a pile driver blow thrown at his head. "RAHHH!"

The Abomination sniggered sarcastically. "Over here. Don't worry…I'll get to her…later." His grin grew larger and more snide.

Even the Hulk didn't miss the implications. His eyes narrowed as he charged his adversary and renewed the exchange of blows once more.

Buildings shook. Glass shattered. Fragments flew.

And still they fought on…..

[Inside of the café]

Iron Man clanged to a stop at the bottom of the darkened stairs. The cloying darkness in the devastated eatery would've confounded most heroes to say the least. He kicked a few overturned tables out of his path. He frowned wanting to use a light to maneuver.

However Mr. Hyde still lurked in the mess.

And his buddies were all around the place fighting it out with the armored avenger's dinner companions.

Joy to the world….

Fortunately JARVIS was on task. "Sir, I'm scanning the area. The brute is about twenty yards to our left."

Stark allowed himself a sarcastic smirk. "Ambush huh? Goodie. I like a game too." He wheeled around and uncorked a double barreled repulsor blast in the direction that the AI had indicated.

The beams' impact clearly illuminated his antagonist even as they burned and threw Hyde out a window into the street beyond.

"Sneaking's cool, Jack," Iron Man sassed to himself as he flew outside and alighted on the cracked concrete sidewalk beyond. He could see Hyde already picking himself up off the asphalt. "Want more?"

The brute sniggered. "It'll take more than that, Stark." He lumbered toward his opponent with surprising speed.

"Punch or repulsor? Decisions! Decisions!" the hero supposed. "Punch it is." He took off at full speed and dropped his shoulder. He bulldozed Hyde knocking the latter into the air. "Aw come on! Don't leave now!" He flew after his opponent closing the gap between them. He rained armored powered blow after armored power blow down on Hyde.

Just as he was about to win, Iron Man recoiled from a bright white light. When his eyes cleared, Hyde was gone. "Where the Hell?"

For that matter, the battle seemed to be finished.

"JARVIS, any sign of those creeps?" he requested.

"None I'm afraid, Sir," the AI assessed. "They've vanished. Everyone seems to be all right."

Surveying the damaged restaurant and city block, the armored avenger ground his teeth. "Yeah. That's one thing. Rhodey?"

"Yeah, Tony?" War Machine queried.

"You okay, Dude?"

"Peachy. Moonstone and the other villains are gone. Barton's doing recon just in case. We have a problem though," the grey hero supposed.

Hearing the loud pitched roar behind him in the street, Iron Man groused, "Terrific. Now I know why Banner gets his tighties in a bunch over the big guy." He headed over to where Fury and Betty were trying to calm the green goliath down.

"WHERE'S ABOMINATION? HULK SMASH!" the Hulk bellowed.

"Cool it, Dude. They ran away. You're the bomb. Just chill already," Iron Man told him.

"You're really helping, Stark," Fury interjected with an air of sarcasm.

Betty rubbed the Hulk's forearm. "It's all right. You helped. Nobody's angry at you. He ran away." She took a deep breath. "Maybe we can go with the others?"

The Hulk really didn't trust Fury and the others after the years of running from the military. Still he knew Betty wouldn't mislead him. He grunted and picked her up gently in his arms. Then he leapt away heading for the SHIELD compound.

"Guess that's one way of getting home," Iron Man supposed. He looked Pepper over. "You okay?"

"I'm fine. Just a little shaken up is all. Maybe you can meet up with Bruce and Betty at the compound?" Pepper assured him.

"Fine. One change though, you're coming with me." Iron Man picked Pepper up. "See ya at home, Big Guy." He took off with her in tow.

Fury shook his head. He was already imagining the mountain of paperwork and finger pointing over this episode. He turned to Colson and Hill. "Anything else?"

"Negative, Sir," Hill declined. "Barton found nothing of note. NYPD is waiting for a briefing."

"Barton and Rhodes, front and center," Fury commanded over his blue tooth. With that he surveyed the war zone around himself.

The night was about to get longer…..


End file.
